We’ve seen a few things like this here in Dubai, whether it be a fancy restaurant, a bakery or a shop BUT when it comes to specialty coffee, this is very rare indeed. And in fact one of my fave specialty coffee shops from London is about to open in Dubai this week or next – more on that when I visit it God willing.
So, onto Half Cup, Dubai.
I had never heard of this place but when our daughter suggested we visit it to celebrate my wife birthday for brunch, I checked them out and their coffee and off we went.
It’s set in a new residential complex in Business Bay, surrounded by fancy looking apartment blocks called Peninsula 1, 2, 3 etc. and so as you drive up, you could be anywhere in the world, with a view of the canal not too far. Half Cup itself is ultra-modern, almost like a glass box with tons of sunlight coming in and some seats outside for when it gets cooler – yes it does get cooler in Dubai, from early November to about late March.
Although there aren’t many seats inside, we managed to get one as we entered. We were attended to probably my waiter of the year, Chris, who was very attentive and helpful. I think the first mistake we made was not listening to him about the portion sizes. Whoa!
Am not sure if you can detect the size of our Turkish Eggs order with beef brisket but the BBQ Beef Brisket Brioche sandwich was enough for three.
Whoa!!!!
If you do go there and order eggs royale. Beware too that it’s enough for two too as I saw that the next table had ordered it.
So, how about the coffee?
Sitting on top an eye-catching steel brewing bar was their two group La Marzocco Linea espresso machine accompanied with two Victoria Arduino grinders. They have a selection of coffees, to choose from for both filter and espresso based roasted locally by one of my top Dubai based roasteries, so I was confident in their offering. I went for a flat white, with Brazilian beans.
Flat white at Half Cup
Delicious with hints of nuts and milk chocolate. It’s a good thing that I ordered this before my meal as I often do if I order eggs cooked in a tomato sauce, i.e. the Turkish eggs. If not, it might have been a challenge for me to finish my coffee.
Highly recommend and did I mention they have a dinner menu too?
I’m already looking forward to my next visit as whenever you find good food and coffee, you can bet I’ll be planning my next visit there soon.
Last month I was invited to attend a China Arab Expo in Yinchuan, a city about two hours flight west of Beijing and although I didn’t find any coffee shop there, using my aeropress for my coffee fix, I knew that Beijing would have more to offer. So, before my trip I used google to search for best specialty coffee in Beijing and guess what, Voyage Coffee came up.
So, on my second day in Beijing, I made sure that my first stop in discovering the city or should I say finding good coffee, was at the art district, 798 751 Park , where Voyage Coffee was located. Initially I was a bit apprehensive as I completely underestimated the size of this venue and not having WIFI, I panicked. However, upon entering from the main entrance, which is a pedestrian district, I saw a sign pointing to Voyage Coffee on my right… hey presto!
I found out that the main entrance was in a kind of cul-de-sac, so I had a mini adventure.
Upon entering, you are greeted with Nihao (hello in Chinese) and with a Scandinavian style interior with light brown wood and concrete – urban Nordic chic is what I call it.
Voyage Coffee, Beijing
They have a La Marzocco Strada with Mazzer grinders and the menu has Chinese on one side and English on the other. The café was busy with both locals and expats with some working on laptops and enjoying their coffees.
I noticed their Probat 12kg coffee roaster housed in a glass enclosure for all to see. I found out from their barista that they roast every Tuesday. I went for a flat white using their Black Forest blend, even though it was late afternoon, having not had espresso-based coffee for days and a NY style cheesecake.
Yummy. Hints of chocolate and dried fruit around the edge of my tongue and the cheesecake was one my wife would have approved off.
Before finishing my coffee, Cody, the top barista came over to offer a Kenyan cold brew coffee.
I think she noticed that I was a bit more serious than other customers when I was asking questions about the coffee earlier, plus she spoke the best English as the others were a little puzzled when I started asking about flavour profiles.
I liked it so much that I wanted to buy a bag of beans and Cody was so excited that she rushed to the back to get me one, BUT sadly they had run out. I opted for her second recommendation, an Ethiopian Mansa, because it was a natural processed.
Cody pouring latteart
I took some videos for my Instagram reels and left.
Highly recommended when in Beijing.
I wandered around the art district as someone asked to check another coffee shop, which I didn’t find but I tried Manner coffee, which was okay and I saw %arabica, which had a cool décor but I find their beans to darkly roasted for me, so I didn’t bother.
Flat white
Find them at China, Beijing, Chaoyang, 酒仙桥路4号北京798艺术区内 邮政编码: 100102
Yes, I was back in London last month in July after a family holiday in Morocco and I can’t wait to share with you my London specialty coffee adventures, especially as there were lots of new coffee shops opening and who said that opening coffee shops was a passing trend…. Hmmm! In summary, there appears to be a trend, where coffee brands from overseas like Dubai (previous post), Nairobi (yes, from Kenya, Africa) Asia and Europe are opening branches in London. I also got to revisit some of my faves, especially as they were very convenient on my way to explore London and visit friends.
The Barn Café, 36 Charlotte Street
Recently opened on Charlotte Street, just a few minutes’ walk off Oxford Street (Tottenham court road end and close to Goodge Street), Barn Berlin have decided to open a branch in bustling London – called The Barn Café (not Barn Berlin). A cozy escape, the décor is urban chic with exposed brick, with a natural feel, decked with wooden furniture and flooring to match I guess, their coffee bags too, reminding me of my coffee shop in Cape Town. They sue a La Marzocco two group linea machine with Victoria Arduino grinders. There’s some seating outside, which was perfect for the day I visited, as it was a warm sunny 30C day in London. However, I sat inside because I wanted to take pictures and videos and chat a little with their friendly staff, which I did. As I hadn’t had milk-based coffee that day, I ordered a flat white using their blend.
Flat white at Barn, London
Well balanced.
They sell lots of their coffees, so you can drink and buy.
Spring Valley, 24 Camden Passage, Islington
I was excited to see this new coffee shop open in London just prior to my visit, but why you may ask. In short, I’ve known about this Kenyan coffee brand since 2018 and the prospect of an African brand opening in one of London’s most prestigious neighbourhood signaled to me two things, that an African F&B company have the bravery to open up in London and that a full on coffee shop will be offering Kenyan coffee on a regular basis. So, I went with my daughter on a very rainy Sunday and I was surprised about how busy the area was. More impressive, was the size of the shop. Decked with all the best gadgets that I had seen in Nairobi, like a La Marzocco Strada and Swan grinder.
Spring Valley Coffee, London
I opted for a cappuccino with their dark roast, although I must confess, I would have preferred their medium roast but they had sold out already and that was at 11:30am. They also offer lots of merchandise to buy from Africa, of course and I can see them becoming a hub for the locals and British Africans too.
Frequency Specialty Coffee, 13 Camden Passage Islington
Not far from Spring Valley was what looked like a tiny coffee shop. However, as we entered up the stairs I later found out that Frequency has seating across 4 floors including a garden patio too. However, on a rainy day, we sat on the second floor as I downed my Brazilian cortado – tingling notes of dark chocolate on the outside of my tongue.
Cortado at frequency coffee
So good, that I bought a bag of their espresso beans to take back to Dubai too.
I went back later in the week with my brother and guess what, it was raining again but this time I had a V60, which was good too.
Zero to One, 19 Widegate, near Liverpool Street Station
We know that Vietnam is now the second largest producer of coffee in the World, but I’ve never been nor seen a Vietnamese specialty coffee shop before, until now – a stone throw away from Liverpool Street tube station – the hub of bankers, lawyers and the people who create wealth in London. My daughter actually recommended this spot, so I dropped by with my wife to try it out. Decked with a Kees van der Westen spirit espresso machine, operated by a friendly lady barista, I knew they meant business.
So, I opted for a cortado, using…. Guess what? A medium light roasted Vietnamese specialty robusta natural coffee bean, fermented with kefir (usually used to ferment yoghurt) – yes, a mouthful, but yes, a mouthful of goodness too. Yum!
Cortado at ZerotoOne
They roast and sell their beans too, so if you fancy something different, then try them out.
So, where else did I go?
Well, I stopped over at some other tried and tested places, which I have written about before, like.
Kiss the Hippo London
Kiss the Hippo on Margaret Street, near Oxford Street, which was actually my first specialty coffee stop. I had a well-balanced fruity V60 using Colombian Pink bourbon Arabica beans.
Cortado
Urban Botanica Kennington to have a cortado, using a Rwanda natural brewed on their Kees van der Westen spirt espresso machine.
Flat white at WatchHouse London
WatchHouse (Fitzrovia and Bond Street branches) to have delicious banana bread and batch brew and on another occasion, a flat white. I love the interiors and the attention to detail by the staff at this brand and you can usually can’t go wrong when you visit them. Did I mention that they have a loyalty customer app too?
Assembly coffee
The Shed at Clapham South underground station, who now use Assembly coffee (previously it was Caravan) for a quick cortado.
Cortado at 2 Love to Coffee, Clapham
2 Love to Coffee House (St Johns Road, Clapham) Two for my last coffee fix, which was a flat white using their espresso blend – a delicious end to my London coffee adventures.
Always on the hunt for new coffee experiences when I stop over in London, I discovered two new places and share with you one of my to-go’s.
2 Love Coffeehouse, 89 St John’s Rd, London SW11 1QY
Located at the intersection of St Johns Road and Battersea Rise and almost 5-6 minutes’ walk from the busy Clapham Junction railway station is 2 Love Tea and Coffee – but their coffee offerings dominate their menu. I’ve actually been here a few times, as if I manage to sneak out of the house before the plan of the day has been agreed to, I can get a good flat white. As you enter, you are greeted with an array of cakes on your left-hand side that only those who hate cakes will ignore. I must confess, I have ignored these on a few occasions but have succumbed to their red velvet and carrot cake on others too.
London cakes
I usually stop here for a good flat white and often buy coffee to take back to Dubai too.
Flat white at Two Love Coffee
They have their own blends for espresso-based coffee but offer and sell Monmouth coffees and other London based roasteries too.
The Coffee Guild, 106 Walton Street, Oxford OX2 6AJ
On the occasion of our sons’ master’s graduation and after a long day with no specialty coffee, I was pleased to see this coffee shop on our way to the celebration dinner across the road. Whilst everyone walked onto the restaurant, I had to stop to get something, after spotting the La Marzocco Linea espresso machine – I sound like an addict… In any case it was worth it, a double espresso, just to get me through the rest of the day.
Espresso at The Coffee Guild, Oxford
On our way back after dinner, my brother couldn’t help himself and ordered a latte and I bought a bag of their espresso blend.
Two things really stood out for me at this coffee shop.
First, when was the last time a coffee shop was open in England after 6pm? I can only think of one, Watch House in Bloomsbury, London. Puzzled, I asked the owner and he said they stay open until 11pm… yes, you read that right. I am almost positive that no other coffee shop stays open in England this late.
The coffee guild, Oxford
Secondly, the owner and his other staff were so friendly that I almost wanted to award them “the happiest coffee shop in England”. The joy they had in serving coffee and telling me that they open until 11pm was so amazing.
Highly recommend.
Treelogy Coffee, 50 Eastbourne Terrace, Paddington, London W2 6LG
I must confess when a friend of mine from London suggested we meet here for coffee and a catch up, I was a bit sceptical – probably because of the name. I was on the verge of recommending somewhere else but because I knew we had a short window, I decided to look them up instead.
Treelogy Coffee, London
Yes, I saw pictures of latte art, but I wanted to know more. So, I got there a little earlier than my meeting to scan the place out. Unlike most London coffee shops, expect the elegant and sophisticated Watch House, most London coffee shops look very neighbourly, but this one looked very corporate as it was located at the bottom of a newish office block next to the newly revamped Paddington railway station. After observing the barista and checking out their coffee offerings, I ordered a cortado.
Cortado
It was delicious and probably I shouldn’t judge a coffee shop by its flooring…. Ha!.
Avid readers of my blog over the last 15 years would have noticed that I usually do an annual post on my coffee escapades in London. However, although I confess that this wasn’t published during the calendar year of 2024, I do have an excuse, as in 2024, I went to London not once but thrice – the first time I think since I left in 2002. So, to save myself from the embarrassment of not posting this in 2024, I essentially wanted to capture all my escapades in one post as I got back from my third trip earlier this month. So, without further a due (very English), here’s my non-exhaustive list of the coffee shops I discovered in 2024 during my three trips to London.
Qima Café, Warren Street
Qima cafe London
I already posted about my visit here in July as it had been on my list for well over a year. Not to go over my experience again, but worth a visit not just for their coffee but for their pastries too. They also stock hard to find but expensive Yemeni arabica coffee and have these lovely dark bottles well packaged that you can buy and take home with you. It’s a very popular spot with tourist and locals alike, so expect queues if you go.
Kiss the Hippo, Margaret Street, Oxford Street area
With a name you won’t forget easily, this coffee business is rolling out many shops across London as part of their strategy to promote not just great coffee but ethical coffee business too, being named London’s first Carbon Negative coffee brand. What does that mean? It means that they make sure that more CO2 is captured from the environment than is created by their business, resulting in a net positive for the environment (source: their website). I went to their branch twice, once to get this delicious filter brew and another to get a cortado.
On the last occasion, I bought a bag of Chinese Arabica Beans (yes, they grow Arabic coffee in China too). They have another 7 branches dotted around London so wherever you are, you might not be too far from one.
Kiss the Hippo London
Nagare, Soho
Nagare London
My daughter told me about this brand as it’s near where she works but on the first occasion I wanted to go, they were closed at 12 noon for the holidays for a week. However, I heard from a friend that they have another branch in Soho and on the last day if 2024, I went there. A small café just off Carnaby Street, you’ll notice that the staff are Japanese, so I’m guessing it’s a Japanese brand. They were quite busy so I had to wait about 10 minutes for my cortado but wasn’t that fussed as they had a part of their café that was like a little quiet living room, so I sat and waited, took some pictures, drank my good cup of coffee and left.
Store Street, Liverpool Street
Drinking coffee in London
Not to be outdone from missing out at Nagare the first time (see above), I walked around the corner onto Liverpool Street and went into Store Street Espresso. I’ve been a few times, but this was my second visit to this branch. Small but busy given the clientele in the heart of where bankers, lawyers and hedge fund peeps work, it wasn’t that busy at 3pm in the afternoon. They stock Square Mile coffee and other brands and if you buy a bag of coffee, you get a cup of coffee complimentary, so worth thinking about too.
Nkora, Old Burlington Street
Nkora coffee, London
Tucked away just off Savile Row (the best place to have tailor made suits in London), is a little non-assuming coffee shop called Nkora. I had heard about this brand and knew that they had another coffee shop at London Wall in the city. I stopped over for a black coffee fix one late afternoon on a colder than usual autumn day in London with my daughter. It looks like the kid of place that James Bond, after having his suits made, would pop over to have a quiet meeting with Q as they have a quiet place downstairs for a real incognito meeting. (James Bond fans will understand).
Watchhouse, Bishopsgate
I met a friend here in the heart of the city where bankers and lawyers rub shoulders. Literally it is down a lane from one of the largest and most prestigious London law firms, Freshfields. As you enter you can’t help but appreciate how each Watch House coffee shop, dotted around London, has a different but familiar feel to it. This reminded me of a little library with a ladder behind the brew bar and another where the retail coffee bag section is.
After a recommendation from the barista to try one of their prestigious filter coffee, I sadly had to decline as my friend said he was treating me and I didn’t want him to pay 12 pounds for a cup of coffee for me.
Watch house bishopsgate London
So, I opted for a batch brew (filter coffee brewed in a batch), delicious nevertheless to accompany his flat white.
Watchhouse, Wells Street Fitzrovia
Well, earlier this month just before I left London again, I found myself in a dilemma as it was just past 4pm and I wanted good coffee. Walking towards Oxford Street on Goodge Street I noticed another popular brand has already shut for the weekend but to my surprise I saw this gorgeous looking architect masterpiece of a coffee shop…. Yes! another Watch House. Did I mention that Watch House was started by an architect. Well, you can tell, check out the brew bar. Wow!
Watch House Cafe Fitzrovia
This time the barista offered us an interesting coffee for our filter and we agreed. To add to this experience, we were served cold green tea to clean our palate before drinking the coffee. An unusual experience no doubt but it did help accentuate the high notes of the coffee.
Ozone, Leonard Street, Shoreditch
Ozone coffee London
I’ve known about Ozone for years and I’m almost embarrassed to share that this was my first time. In fact, in 2012 when I was returning to Europe after I had to sell my coffee shop in Cape Town, I met with the owner, Lizz and almost worked with her in setting up this coffee shop. So, one Friday afternoon prior to meeting my cousin and her kids around the corner form Ozone, I rushed with my wife and daughter to finally visit Ozone. It was like I imagined as I have been following them for years. As you enter you can see their huge coffee roaster downstairs and moving further inside they have a dual bar, one for coffee and another food decked with an open kitchen – cool indeed. The decor is urban eatery with exposed brick and lots of light coming in with a mouthwatering breakfast menu too.
Flat white coffee at ozone
I walked around, shot a video for Instagram, bought a bag of their seasonal blend and ordered coffee of course. A delicious flat white – the kind of coffee that spoke to me saying “why haven’t you been here all this time”. Sigh! I plan to visit again and have breakfast in 2025 God willing.
Hjem, 157 Gloucester Road, South Kensington
Hjem coffee London
A friend of mine said next time you’re in London, I have to take you to this Danish inspired coffee shop with pastries and good cofree too. Apparently, they have two in a very posh part of London, South Kensington – where millionaires reside. We went to the only one open just after New Year 2025. Apparently, the shop was started by a lady who saw an opportunity to offer good coffee to parents dropping their kids off at school in the morning and voila she now has two. We ordered their special pastries, like knotted brioche, which went well with their coffee from Climpson and Sons (a London roastery). A cute place to try out if you happen to be in the area, about 15 minutes’ walk from the Natural History Museum.
Guillam, Curzon Street, Mayfair
Tucked away in Mayfair (another hang out for the ultra-wealthy) I discovered this small coffee shop, recommended to me by a fiend in Dubai who has worked with them on supplying previous Yemeni coffee beans. As you enter, you are greeted by a friendly barista and a brew bar featuring a two-group cream coloured La Marzocco Linea with their logo on it, with their coffees on sale gracing the base.
Guillam Coffee London
I wandered around the coffee shop, took a video and pictures and placed two orders for one cortado for me and a flat white for my loyal daughter that loves hanging around with me in London.
Coffee for two
Delicious and if you are in that part of London (near Green Park tube station, take a 5-minute walk and you won’t regret it). They also have 3 other coffee shops across London.
21 Grams, South Clapham
Flat White London
So just before heading to the airport on a cold, almost 0C day in London, I ventured to get my last cup of specialty coffee in London. About 10 minutes’ walk from where I was staying, 21 grams is familiar to me, having been there in 2023 but I was intrigued this time as their previous roaster, the Gentleman Barista coffee company is now bankrupt. I walked in to be greeted by a friendly lady barista, who made this well poured latte art delicious flat white using their house blend, roasted now by Liberty Coffee Company. A traditional looking neighbourhood coffee shop which now has 5 coffee shop.
When I was invited to attend an international health conference for African ministers in Kigali, Rwanda in December, I was excited not just for the discussions ranging from preventative healthcare to AI and digital health but also for discovering another coffee country for the first time. Naturally, I ensured that my bookings allowed me to spend at least one full day after the event to check the sites, erm! By this I meant coffee shops. Prior to boarding the plane, I checked things to do in Kigali and was pleasantly surprised to learn that visiting Question Coffee was under the top 10. So, as soon as the conference finished on Thursday evening, I planned my Friday accordingly with the hotel, where I was able to lease a nice SUV for 3 hours for about $15 to visit at least two coffee shops.
Question Coffee
This is probably Rwanda’s most famous coffee shop with two branches in Kigali. It is billed as a social enterprise, supporting women coffee growers and receiving support both from Mastercard Foundation and Bloomberg Philanthropies. It trains people in the coffee business, sources and roasts its own coffee too.
As my hotel was located in the more upmarket part of Kigali, known as Kiyovu, I headed to their newer branch in the neighbourhood, located at House number 31, KN 41 Street. In summary it is a converted house, which hosts a little enclave on the left as you enter, where their coffees are on sale, together with brewing gadgets.
Question coffee selection
Also on the wall, is a guide to their coffees based on growing region in Rwanda, cooperative processing method and brewing guide with flavour notes, so think dark chocolate, citrus, sweet, fully washed, ideal for aeropress and Hario V6o, which equals Mayogi, which is what I bought for my friend and I.
After leaving the enclave area, you can enter the main brewing area, decked with filter brewing equipment and a two group La Marzocco Linea espresso machine.
I was attended to by who brewed my cortado. After which I went onto the balcony and sat down to drink my coffee like an escapist.
Rwandan cortado
In having a brief chat with the barista, who was very helpful, I learnt that Question Coffee have a much larger branch where you can witness their roasting operation and much more.
Kivu Noir
Located at 2 KG 668 Street, I‘m guessing this is also located in a nice area, although a little further away from Question Coffee, as I noticed impressive looking apartments amidst the construction of a few more. The driver also informed me that this area hosts some of the nice restaurants too. Entering this place, you could tell that the budget for the décor was generous. Located on a hill side – after all Rwanda is also known as the land of 1000 hills – this place was obviously popular with a few expats, with people on their laptops chatting with their friends or colleagues and artsy people too. As you enter, you are greeted with comfy chairs and some African art and books dotted around.
Kivu Noir decor
For coffee heads, you are greeted with a black Victoria Arduino Black Eagle espresso machine twinned with grinders too, with busy barista trying to get orders correct.
I liked their unusual cups and their attention to detail in pouring latte art.
Cappuccino
I walked out to take in the view and waited for my double espresso as I had already had a milk-based coffee.
Also on offer at Kivu Noir is food and cakes and temptation got the hold of me, as I ordered what looked like the largest slice of lemon cake I’ve seen in a café to take away. Upon leaving I chatted with the head barista, Jummah, who had previously been working in the UAE, so we exchanged notes and he said that both Kivu Noir and Question Coffee were the best cafes in Kigali.
Kivu Noir outside
So, if you happen to visit Kigali, I recommend these two coffee shops to satisfy your specialty coffee thirst.
Wow! do you know the last time I attended this event? 2008 – 16 YEARS Ago. That sounds crazy BUT it’s been a while since I’ve been in London during this event.
Okay let’s rewind to 2006, when this event was launched. Back then it was the first and only coffee business event of its kind, where all businesses involved in setting up a coffee shop attended to show case their products from espresso machines, grinders, cups, spoons to tea suppliers, latte art classes and even cakes, plus there were lots of lectures on setting up and running a café. It was also the place that I met not one but TWO WBC champs, James Hoffmann (before he started Square Mile) and Stephen Morrisey – read more here. In fact, it was during my attendance at these events that I got the encourage to show my LOVE and set up my first and to date, only café – ESCAPE CAFFE, back in 2010 in Cape Town. So, you can say that this event has a special place in my Coffee heart.
Kiss the Hippo coffees
Fast forward to 2024 and upon arriving in wet, rainy and cold London on 1 October – international coffee day – I knew that even with just 4 hours sleep on the plane I had to attend. So, off I went to the Business Design Centre in Islington. First up, the venue was a lot smaller than the original venue at Kensington Olympia, so when I walked in, I was a little underwhelmed, thinking where the people at …… Secondly, there were not that many world renowned espresso machine suppliers like before – I saw Rocket and Dalla Corte but I’m guessing this might be a sponsorship thing as before, there were a few brands on display. Thirdly, not many stands had people trying to give you coffee bags or free coffee like before.
Cupping session
However, they still have lectures by top experts and I missed the key ones like the one on “the 5 pound cappuccino” – we already have this in Dubai but for the UK it will be a shock.
However, all was not lost, as I met some coffee people and had some deep conversations as follows;
Barbara of Goldbox Roastery and Goldbox Dubai, who I had seen recently in Dubai and also here son, Luca, who won the UK brewers championship twice.
2. Kanye, Head Roaster at Kiss the Hippo, whom I had met earlier this year in Dubai. We chatted for a while and he made me two delicious coffees using their Fruitopia blend on the Eversys (a very expensive automatic machine made famous by Blank Street). Wow! the coffee really tasted like peach, yummy!
3. Tim Ridley, who interviewed me for a job in coffee in London way back in 2012 and started the now discontinued Department of Coffee and Social Affairs (the best name for a coffee shop). When he saw me he said “now here comes someone who knows how to taste coffee better than me…. Hmmm!). Tim knows a lot about the coffee business scene and so I was really intrigued to learn a few secrets from him…. Shhh!
4. Last but not least, Maxwell Colonna-Smalls, former UK barista champ, coffee expert extraordinaire and owner of Colonna Smalls. He was selling his latest book on “the business of specialty coffee” at a discount and signed, so I grabbed a coffee of course and got an espresso from his stand too.
Espresso
What else did I do?
I got a flat white from a special dairy farm, Brades, where they produce milk with 4% fat content – now that’s rare and if you don’t believe me, next time you buy full fat milk, look at the fat content.
I also got some coffee bags from Dark Wood coffee owner/director, Paul Meikle-Janney, who has a long list of accolades, who has been involved in the World and the UK Barista Championships from the very start, as a Head Judge for both the World Latte Art and the World Coffee in Good Spirits Championships (after being a competitor and coming third in the World in 2006). As a board member of World Coffee Events in 2011/2012, he helped to organise the World Barista Championships. (source: darkwoods coffee website).
After about 3 hours, it was time to leave and get something to eat as I was all caffeineD up and had had some great conversations too.
In summary it was great to be back after 16 years and to see the evolution of the event but I think with so many coffee events like the London Coffee Festival, Caffe Culture has evolved to be a space for coffee B2B but still draws some coffee nerds too.
In mid-July I visited Vienna again with my family and decided to mix my go to places with a few never before ventured together with some classics – after all Vienna or Wien (the German word for Vienna) is home to some classics, so here goes.
Balthasar, Prater Strasse
Cortado at Balthasar
one and I was craving specialty coffee and I thought I’m not going to risk it and so being literally about 5 mines away, I stopped over with my daughter to grab a cortado and was delighted to meet with Owen after a few years. I think he was really happy to see me because the cortado I had was really memorable.
Zoku (café at the top of the hotel), Perspectivstrasse
For my father’s day gift, my kids took to this fancy ultra-modern hotel, Zoku, next to the Prater and of course no good breakfast can earn its place, without a good cup of coffee.
Breakfast at Zoku Vienna
I must confess I was excited when I saw the La Marzocco two group linea, BUT my cappuccino was average. Our friend’s daughter who had been warned politely be her mum not to make me coffee because of my, should I say, fussiness, decided to take up the challenges and I was happy she did, because after seeing e trying to sip my coffee, she was lie “can I make you one? I said yes and I said that she should have more “coffee” confidence, because her version was much better than the first attempt by her colleague, phew. So, here we are.
This time our trip to Vienna was a bigger family affair than usual and so one Saturday we decided to discover another part of Vienna – the Hundertwasserhaus, with my daughter ensuring that decent food was not too far away. The menu was so unusual for Vienna with things like avocado toast, blueberry pancakes, etc.
Yum
I decided to try their coffee after studying the barista for a while and dived into order a cortado.
Not bad and pleasant surprise indeed. I recommend checking them out for your not typical Viennese café.
Coffee Pirates, spitalgasse 17
Coffee and cake at coffee pirates
Okay, this is one of the modern classics, as they are one of the forerunners of the newish specialty scene back around 2012 when I moved back after my cafe adventures in Cape Town. I had earlier met a colleague for lunch and Coffee Pirates was literally a 10-minute walk away even though it was another sweltering hot day in the mid-30Cs, but being so close to specialty coffee was too tempting to miss out on. So, I ordered another cortado with a lime cake – again Coffee Pirates is not a typical Viennese coffee spot with stuff on the menu that should be relatable to London or NYC coffee shops. I way too tempted not buy coffee and took one of their unusual espressos blends away too.
Kaffemik, Zollergasse
Located just off the busy shopping street of Mariahilfer Strasse, I knew where to go to get my coffee fix before meeting my wife and daughter. They are still the same as they have always been but with a keen eye for detail in coffee preparation, I was pleasantly surprised to see that they were offering Tim Wendelboe espresso, so of course I ordered it and bought a bag of Kenyan coffee for my friend in Dubai too.
Josef Brot, Landstrasse haupstrasse
Famous for their sourdough breads and clean Nordic interior, I was carving my specialty coffee fix on the penultimate day of our departure and just caught them before they closed on Saturday afternoon. BUT, I was surprised to learn that they now serve coffee from one of my fave roasters, Coffee Collective from Denmark, with their own blend specially roasted for them too. After convincing the staff that we just wanted coffee, so that I didn’t get a paper cup, my wife and I sat down and she sipped my coffee before I even tasted it (the pic at the top of the post is at Josef Brot).
I guess she was intrigued by the look, which the taste matched too.
Jonas Reindl, Wahringerstrasse 2
One of my faves coffee roasters and shops and so, I couldn’t even imagine leaving Vienna without visiting them. So when an ex colleague reached out and said he wanted to meet before I left, I knew the location had to be here. We ordered two flat whites using their house blend and it was lovely indeed.
Two delicious flat whites at Jonas Reindl
After promising myself not to buy anymore coffee bags, I noticed on my way out, a Mexican espresso blend with hints of dried strawberries – so I grabbed it.
Before I go… here’s a slice of Carrot Cake from Cafe Freidlich
Earlier this week I took my wife on a staycation to Abu Dhabi and discovered that one of the coffee shops I have always wanted to visit was only 9 minutes’ drive away. So, after a massive breakfast and chilling for a bit, we decided to pop over to Coffee Architecture. To my dismay when we arrived, we saw a note on the door apologizing for not being there and they would be back at 5pm – it was 2 pm on a very hot and humid afternoon. I almost cried in frustration, and I could see my wife with a look like “okay its closed and its very hot, let’s go back to the hotel”. Never one to be defeated in search of good coffee, I noticed that when I was searching on google maps I saw another specialty coffee shop was nearby.
So, off my wife and I went and thankfully it was literally about 2 minutes’ walk on Turquoise Beach. Pronto! Café Artea.
Front room
As we entered and were greeted by smiling barista and a concrete looking block with cakes on top, I was struck by not one but SIX Anfim espresso grinders to my right. Almost in front of you behind various concrete blocks was their La Marzocco Strada espresso machine.
I walked around, took some pictures as the café was empty and quizzed the main barista as to why they had six grinders. He explained that they had six types of coffees (they get their coffee from archers) to offer for espresso and milk-based drinks. They have a Mahl Konig EK43 for filter as well as various black coated V60s for their pour over options.
Filter brew bar
I opted for a cortado (which was not on their menu) BUT when it’s really hot, I prefer a stronger cup of coffee with less milk. What struck me on first sip was the temperature of the milk – I’m guessing it was around 55-60C. I asked the barista and he confirmed this. It’s very rare to get this temperature in your espresso-based milk drink as some times the milk is too hot (I’ve sent back coffee a few times because if this). I recall reading a James Hoffmann post many years back (before his YouTube fame) where he suggested that 55-60C is the ideal temperature for milk and I believe this is the competition range too.
Pleasant to drink and well prepared by barista Ali.
So, if you happen to be on Saadiyat Island, Mamsha District and want a good specialty coffee place to go (other than Coffee Architecture), check Café Artea too.
I cannot finish 2023, without mentioning one of the most exciting coffee experiences in a coffee shop I had this year – the opening of Colonna and Smalls on Leather Lane in London. In fact this trip was made even more exciting for me, as they opened the day after I arrived in London for a trip and I visited on my birthday too – what a wonderful coffee experience for a birthday.
Owned by Maxwell Colonna-Dashwood, a former UK barista champion several years ago, Maxwell has always been one to push the boundaries on all things coffee. When I first visited his first cafe in Bath I had the opportunity to meet with him and quiz him about his coffee philosophy. After all, not only was he UK barista champion twice, but he has won several awards like best UK cappuccino and more. It was also at his cafe back in 2017 that I saw the Mod Bar for the first time. He also grinds all his coffee beans whether for espresso or filter, on a Mahlkonig EK43. His London shop is no exception.
Ready to brew
I digress a bit for the techies, but the debate advocated by Maxwell is that by using the EK43 (not built for grinding for espresso but ideally for spices and perhaps for filter coffee) you not only minimise waste because you grind per cup but that the EK43 grinds very evenly with little differentiation in grind size – this means that you can even lower the amount of coffee you use – they use about 16.5g as opposed to the industry average of 18-20g.
His London branch is his second shop and I must confess I was curious as to why he opened another coffee shop – this time on probably London’ most famous coffee street for the best coffee – Prufrock is a few shops down, as well as the Attendant.
Espresso brew bar
Upon entering the narrow shop, the brew bar is on the right hand side and display of coffee and merchandise to sell is on your left. The menu for both espresso base and filter coffee are on a placard on the exposed brick wall, with the filter options ready to be used. If you walk further back, there’s more sitting. I noticed that most people there were keen coffee drinkers, asking all sorts of coffee nerdy questions.
Aeropress brew bar
However, they have another specific menu for rare filter coffees too. As it was my birthday, I opted for a Panama Geisha from the famous coffee estate, Hacienda Esmeralda. Indeed it was sublime, tea like with hints of jasmine. I gave my wife a taste and she retorted, this taste like tea. I recall that the first time I had this very special coffee was way back in 2011 when I had my cafe in Cape Town – my roaster gave me a small bag, which I brewed on an aeropress.
As its was my birthday I didn’t just have one coffee. In fact I started with a flat white, using Peruvian coffee beans, brewed on their Two Group La Marzocco espresso machine by the head baristi.
Flat white
Prior to my trip I had contacted Maxwell on LinkedIn and mentioned that I would be visiting but upon entering the shop he wasn’t there. However, to my pleasant surprise, I recognised his voice during my first cup of coffee and went over to chat for about 20 minutes about coffee and more. One lesson I got from him this time was about water quality and how it mattered more for filter than espresso – I took notes and will investigate how to manage this at home in Dubai. However, before we left, I spotted Maxwell brewing an espresso for a flat white and captured this on film, asking him if he still had it in him to pour great latte art – of course he did, as I’m sure his DNA is labelled with coffee.
Maxwell pouring latte art
I highly recommend when you visit London that you visit Colonna and Smalls on 96A Leather Lane, Clerkenwell – closest tube station is Chancery Lane.
Here’s wishing you a blessed 2024 and lots of wonderful coffee adventures.
From Coffee With Love 